Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) -- How to Get It Right

Consider the Cloud

As with many of today’s solutions, CPQ tools can be delivered as software as a service (SaaS) through the cloud. That means there is no major capital outlay or long implementation time required. The system will typically come pre-configured and ready for set up and integration into the business. The responsibilities for running and maintaining the system lie with the vendor.

Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) platforms are relatively new on the scene. But, as often happens with technology, the pace of market change has been so swift that the first platforms have soon become outdated. As a result, second-generation CPQ has emerged before the first wave has been fully appreciated.

CPQ is a sales tool designed to help companies produce accurate and highly configured quotes. It centralizes all complex product, pricing and business rules, making them automatic and available in real time. But so much for definitions. Why is it needed?

Appropriately for an application that’s evolving so rapidly, the topline answer to this question is that CPQ turns ideas into reality more quickly. Taking a great new concept from initial discussion to fruition used to take anywhere up to a year or so. In many sectors, such as telecoms or software, this is no longer fast enough; the markets move so quickly that by the time the product or service is launched, it may no longer be relevant.

Due to this constant need for reinvention and renewal, product portfolios have become increasingly complex. Technology advances, new compliance regulations and increasing globalization have also played a part in making life more difficult for sales and marketing teams who struggle to optimize their entire catalogues. It hasn’t helped being hampered by outdated legacy IT, which can present them with a confusing array of configurations.

Enter the first CPQ platforms. At first, these were exactly what was required at a functional level to make the sales process more efficient. But now, these sales operations need more streamlining and more agility. It has become even more urgent to quickly launch new products and services, to eliminate clunky business processes and excessive admin tasks in order to stay competitive. Businesses now want something that takes them beyond CPQ to help them manage the entire customer lifecycle from quote to cash. So, a new generation of platforms that includes CPQ – and more – has emerged in the market.

Needless to say, this can be confusing for anyone considering investing in the technology and naturally wants to ensure a fast return. How can they be sure they get it right? In this slideshow, Rowley Douglas, executive vice president of CloudSense, explains more about this disruptive new technology and issues that should be considered.

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